Wisdom in Balance: The continuing tale of Master Iroh
by Ishvallan
Summary: Iroh: Grand Master of the White Lotus Society, former General and Crown Prince of the Fire Nation, Tea Master of Ba Sing Se, Mentor to Avatar Aang, Fire Lord Zuko, and the Young War Heroes. What more can one man add to his resume? Second Avatar?
1. Chapter 1

As he lay down to sleep, the retired Fire Nation general thought about his life lately. His deranged brother had been defeated and balance to the world had been restored as best it could, considering the lack of the Air Nomads' society. His grand White Lotus Society had returned to their homes until they could be needed again, and had even initiated its first new member in years. After knowing the light hearted young man for over a year, he still did not believe that he had earned Master Piandao's respect as a swordsman, let alone nearly best the old man. Perhaps young Sokka might someday prove himself as an example of what the White Lotus stood for; accepting anyone who still saw the wisdom of the old ways while moving into the future. That or he might blow himself up with another of his inventions.

Thoughts of the White Lotus reminded him of his beloved nephew. When the Avatar remained missing for nearly a century, the Society sought someone else who might be able to restore order. In the would-be Fire Nation prince, still a child at the time, General Iroh saw Princess Ursa's loving nature instead of the ruthlessness which Fire Lord Ozai demanded from him. The boy did not have the general aggression that drove the new style of firebending, resulting in a pitiful display every time he attempted to use his bending. Iroh was proud that his own son had taken Zuko under his wing like a younger sibling. He was even more proud the day that Lu Ten was to finally join him in the great Siege of Ba Sing Se. After losing his son, he had searched in the Spirit World for his son in vain but gained so much more. He experienced the glory of the Spirit World's purest being, a white lotus, which opened his eyes to the horrors of what he and his family were doing to the world. Upon his return, he saw a perfect chance to stop the madness of the Fire Nation. He knew then just as he knew when he told the Avatar's friends,  
that even if he were to defeat his own brother and end Sozin's War, it would just be viewed by the world as a brother taking back his throne, not someone seeking to bring peace to the world. He began spending much time with Zuko, teaching him about balance. However, with the loss of his mother and his "big brother," Zuko unfortunately turned to his father for the love that would never come.

After the incident of the Agni Kai and his banishment, Iroh decided to banish himself with his nephew in an attempt to break the wrong that Ozai had pushed into his son's head by continuing his teachings of balance. The old man smiled to himself in his bed as he knew that the Prince's banishment was what solidified his own plans to have Zuko take the throne someday and end the war. Once the Avatar had finally revealed himself in their travels, he knew exactly how the 100 Years War had to end. After a year of failed plans, somehow balance still brought itself back, proving to the Grand Master of the White Lotus that the universe will always balance itself at the proper time.

Balance, that was what his life had come down to in the end. He sought balance everywhere in life. Seriousness with jolliness. Wealth with generosity. Even being a Fire National living in the Earth Kingdom who had studied the waterbenders and had made friends with, and become a counselor to, the last of the Air Nomads. He prided himself on his Fire Nation heritage, but also considered himself to be a man of the entire world. Even with the separation of the four nations, each person was part of the whole world, and he decided to live without the separations. He felt himself to be in nearly perfect balance; nearly because with his pride he balanced his humility. He knew that he could not quite be in perfect balance, especially concerning tomorrow.

As he had done the previous year, Iroh planned to gather a small picnic and return to the old tree outside the walls of the world's largest city and have a day of remembrance for his fallen son and departed wife. It was difficult for him every time he remembered what he had lost, wishing his son could have played a different part in the works of history than he had. He realized that the death of his son is what eventually helped to bring about many of the events of the ending of Sozin's War, but a father always wishes to have his seed with him as history unfolds. Gently weeping, his wisdom fought through his pain as he remembered the value of a good night's sleep. He closed the drapes of his bed, let out a deep controlled breath, and bended out the candles of his room.


	2. Chapter 2: By the Spirits

Awaking early, as typical for anyone raised in the Fire Nation, he dressed in his favorite green robes, he walked into town, bought a modest picnic lunch and incense, and headed out of the city. Upon reaching his son's makeshift memorial, he was surprised to see a small pile of flowers, some burnt incense, two apples, and a rolled scroll bearing the seal of the Fire Lord. There was no doubt that his nephew had taken the time to travel hundreds of miles, foresaking his royal duties, to pay his respects to one of the best friends he'd ever had. It was all too much for the great Dragon of the West to handle as he gave in to his emotion. As much as he would have enjoyed having his nephew with him so they could grieve together, he knew that Zuko had wanted to pay his respects alone, while leaving a surprise for his uncle which would mean more to him than simply being there with his mentor. Iroh set up his small tribute ritual and sang his customary "Little Soldier Boy" for his own little soldier boy who had done so much more with his death than Iroh had in his whole military career. He succomed again to his tears as the incense burned. He was startled to feel hands on his shoulders, but turned to see no one there while the feeling persisted. He could not contain his grief and love for his only blood son and his gratitude and pride in his son-like nephew. He knew that his son was with him as he sat there. He began to pray to the gods, not in worship, not in begging, not in thanks; merely to acknowledge that he understood and accepted their decision to use his son to bring about the great changes of the world. The weight on his shoulders felt heavier and more real as he prayed. Eventually the weight felt as though hands were clutching his shoulders as the ex general felt soft drops of water fall on his head. He opened his weeping eyes expecting rain but saw instead a giant, grand hall. As he turned around to take in his surroundings, his eyes saw nothing but a pair of legs clad in deep red armor.

Iroh slowly looked up waiting for this ghostly image to disappear, but as his eyes reached the figure's chest, Lu Ten fell to his knees and strongly embraced his father. Neither could say anything, nor did they want to. Both just wanted to stay in this embrace to make up for all the lost time. Iroh felt a softer touch hug him from behind. He turned his gaze to see his wife, as solid and alive as his son was right now. "If I am dead, then I will be so happilly if this will be my existence as a spirit" Iroh slowly said between sobs hugging his family as tightly as possible.

"You are not dead General Iroh, Dragon of the West," boomed a powerful voice as a strong figure, clad in deep red robes, strided from the shadows.

"We have brought you to the World of the Spirits, though. We desire you to see your family as you have served us well," a limber man in blue said as he glided gracefully into the center of the hall with the man in red.

"You have shown to have few regrets in life other than the falling of your family, and we sought to mend the holes that we have forced into your heart" airily breathed a woman in long,  
flowing orange and white robes.

A gruff voices from the shadows laughed as he boomed,"Though you surely know that you cannot have such an honor to visit the dead without us having purposes." The man trodded heavily from his hiding place, as a lovely woman walked out with him, both clad in brown and green.

She said "Oh come now Shu, let him have his time of peace. Its not like we're going to send him on a quest to save the world."

"Shu?" Iroh's highly active mind brought him directly to a conclusion which, while preposterous in the normal world made perfect sense here. "Then you my, lady, must be Oma. The Two Lovers, the first earthbenders, and the Spirits of Earth."

"Very perceptive. If only every human were as well read and quick thinking as you." Out of the shadows above them, a great owl, twice the size of all present, glided down and placed himself between the men in red and blue. "Surely then you can presume the names of everyone present."

This new being could be none other than the great Spirit of Wisdom, Wan Shi Tong. Which meant that the others must be the firey Agni, the ever travelling Tianshu, the Air spirit, and the ocean spirit, La.  
"By the Gods, you ARE the Gods. I truly am not worthy to be in such company, let alone after you have reunited me with my family." Iroh wished to throw himself to the ground in a bow but refused to let go of his family.

A young woman stepped forth bathing the entire hall in a bright light as she lightly laughed. "Master Iroh, it is we who should thank you for everything you have done. Please, you need not bow before us." The Moon spirit, Yue took Iroh's hand and beckoned him to his feet. "You have done much to prove yourself as a hero of the Spirits. When we have needed someone to act for us, you have been there. Even before my time, my fellow spirits have been watching you."

Agni stepped forward, "We must reveal, we did not take the life of your son in order for you to lead the life that led to your part in the Great Balancing. It was simply his time."

La inturupted, much to the upsetting of Agni, "However, what you did after we did take your son truly astounded us, the all seeing spirits of the World. No one before has ever attempted to recover someone from death out of pure love. Even Oma lived her life in memory of her love. After witnessing the white lotus choosing you to know her secrets, we believed that you might be the one to help restore balance if the Avatar was never released from his icy shell."

"Upon joining the Order of the White Lotus, you have embodied what we have wanted for the Earth since the Beginning. Balance between the elements and all people. You have proved yourself to be as much of a source of balance as the Avatars." The young Moon spirit beamed on him as she praised him.

"However, we do still have matters to discuss with you," spoke Shu. His stern look contrasting the happy looks of everyone else in the Grand Hall of the High Spirits.

"Must you always make everything sound so serious?" jested Oma as she coddled her husband. "My great Iroh, your actions and beliefs on earth have earned you great favor with us."

Wan Shi Tong stepped forward, looking as menacing as he did wise, "It is true, we have no great world saving quest for you, but we do have a quest in store. You who have chosen to live as the Avatar does, between the elements, are to recieve bounty only ever given to one person before you. We shall grant you the abilities of the Avatar."

"However," said Yue as she embraced the old man who had proven his devotion to the Spirits when he attempted to protect the former Moon spirit, Tui,"this cannot be a permanent state. No one is to have the abilities of the four elements except for the Avatar. You are to go on the journey of an Avatar, learning to use the four elements and mastering their arts. However, upon mastering the four elements, we must force you to choose what to bend from that point forward. The choice will be yours. Few understand the strengths and weaknesses of the elements as compared to each other as you do."

Iroh had nothing to say. He stuttered and was mute with shock. For a man who had once aided the destabilization of the world to be offered something so grand by the gods was unthinkable in his  
wildest dreams. As he attempted to find any words to say after this, Tianshu spoke again.

"We understand what shock you must be in. This is very similar to what every Avatar feels when their identity is revealed to them. But you have the addition of knowing that it cannot be forever. Know that whatever you choose, we do not ask you to aid us with your abilities as we do the Avatar, nor is there any 'right' answer. This is a gift for you to decide what you want for the rest of your life."

Iroh began to feel weak, knowing that the strain of being in the Spirit World in a mortal body was incredible. He had only been able to handle the stress years ago due to his youth, relatively, and his  
will to find his son. He continued to attempt to speak as the sight before him began to fade. The feeling of his wife and son began to fade as well, throwing him into despair. As it all went black, his son quietly called after him, "We'll always be here watching you father, we love you and are so proud to call you our family." Iroh passed out after feeling the soft grass and hearing a scream which faded as it  
came closer, "UNCLE..."


	3. Chapter 3: The Incorporeal

Iroh awoke on something very hard, and not too pleasant to the nose. He heard voices whispering as well as the sound of rushing air. He sat up slowly but his vision still spun and he felt nauseous. He found a railing to lean over but his nausea was worsened by the sight below. Hundreds of feet below.

"Oh good, you're awake. You've been out for almost a day. The spirit world must be really tiring at your age without being the Avatar"

He recognized the cracking voice and its owner's furry friend they were riding on. The Avatar and he were on Appa, but where the elderly firebender had no clue.

"Master Avatar, before I went out, I could have sworn I heard Zuko calling for me."

"Please, you know I prefer Your Noble, Mystical, Everpowerful and All Knowing Master Avatar" Aang laughed. "Zuko found you in a field, he wouldn't tell us why you were there though. Didnt do him any good though, benefits of being the Avatar, the Spirits can talk to you. I know about your Avatar's quest, and as the only airbender alive, I suppose we should get started on your quest. Thats why we're headed to the Southern Air Temple."

"I am honored by the offer Master Avaa-Aang, but I cannot interupt your duties to the world to spend the time teaching me. Also, if I am to learn the elements, I want to learn from people who have found true harmony with their element. Teachers who let their element guide their lives, not control the element. I mean no offense, my young friend, but I do not feel you are the right teacher for me."

"Oh, well, there aren't any other airbenders to teach you. I suppose I could lend you Appa ever so often so you could learn, but there really arent many options."

"Yes, this is quite the predicament. Though, I have heard of some people in the Northern Air Temple who have learned to fly. Perhaps I could somehow learn from them."

Aang was slightly depressed that he would not get to return the favor of teaching to his aged friend, but understood all that Iroh had said. "I know who you mean at the Northern Temple, but they don't fly. They glide on artificial air currents. They dont bend the air, they just ride the hot air. Though there is a boy there who you should definitely meet, Teo. He really has the heart of an airbender. If only he had been born a bender he would definitely understand the element. He lives to be in the sky."

"It sounds as though he may have mastered what he could of an element he does not control. I would like to meet him. While perhaps he cannot teach me bending, it might be a start."

With that, Aang pulled Appa's reigns gently and they changed directions, heading from south to north. "I know that you don't think I'm the right teacher for you, but while I take you to the Northern Temple, I could teach you some of the basics. Manipulating the air and whatnot. The second element is always easy for a bender because it is usually the closest to their style."

As they flew for the next few hours, Aang showed Iroh the basics of using the spinning force of an airbender's body to pull the air from around and direct it as a firebender chooses the direction of the fire blasts. It was a different feeling to manipulate an element that did not come from his own body. Due to their limited space in Appa's saddle, and because balance was difficult on an airborne Sky bison, Iroh was only able to learn how to move the air in clumsy blasts. Aang spotted an island and they landed for the night so Appa could rest. Aang began to teach Iroh the basic stances and the nature of how an airbender moved in their circular fashion to gather and direct the wind. Once Iroh got over the awkwardness of controlling existing energy, not creating it, he began to grasp it all and soon was able to control all the air around him. Though his first attempts at the air scooter did not end very well, his old body making the falls worse. They decided to pack it in for the night.

Iroh woke early as always and left the small camp to practice his air bending. The circles were very different from the straight and powerful movements of his firebending forms. Using his firebending stances, he could create much more powerful and aimed air blasts, but they did not do much more than push the air around. It felt more like blowing through a tube than airbending. Aang awoke soon after and went to his temporary pupil.

"Its all about flowing. You don't tell the air where to go like you do with fire. Sometimes you pull it from its natural current and redirect it until it naturally goes where you want it to. Other times you just blow it in a new direction so it interupts other currents, but either way, you're just creating new currents. Think of it like when you redirect lightning. You take what is there and you use your energy to push it elsewhere without really controlling it."

Aang had a brilliant idea. "You've always understanded the other elemets by relating them to your own. But now, they're all your own. So lets try relating them all to each other." Aang walked over to the ocean and into the foam while still on the sand. "In earth and firebending, you have to force your element, you control its movements with your own. But in air and water bending, its all about redirection.  
Aang shot a straight fireblast out over the sea with a fast punch, then stomped at the ground and a spike of rock jutted out. Then he leaned in towards the waves and pulled back as the wave came in, pulling the water up and into a long ribbon which he spun around himself and put back in the water. "Now air is hard because you cant really see it to know what you're doing. Come into the water and the effect the air has on the water should show us what's going on."

Iroh stepped into the water and began swinging his arms in a controlled circle, trying to direct the moving breeze to come towards him, turn around his body, and continue changing directions while still flowing around him, not away from him like a fire blast. Soon he had made an invisible ball of winds around him which blew the water away from him and left him in an invisible hole in the ocean.  
He then made an arc with his arms and released all the air to flow away as it wound itself out of the sphere, along its new current, and then into a straight line, forming a channel in the sea.

"I think you've got it. Well we better go. Its still a few more days to the Northern Air Temple."

"Thank you Aang. I see that you have truly understood the balance of the elements and their connections."

They spend the next few days flying on Appa. Once, Aang attempted to teach Iroh to use the glider, but the concept of bending the air without body motions just did not register with Iroh who fell quickly and had to be saved by Appa. Flying was something that came absolutely naturally to Aang so he had never paid attention to his lessons. Unable to teach it, they decided to wait until Iroh could ride pre-existing currents instead of making his own.


	4. Chapter 4 The Bendingless Bending Master

Chapter 4: The Bendingless Bending Master

A benefit to having two air benders on board was that they learned to keep a steady slipstream and tail wind for Appa so that he could fly at nearly twice his normal speed while using half the energy. The three came within sight of the Northern Air Temple after only 5 days. As expected, the sky around the temple was filled with gliders. Aang threw his glider into the air and jumped off of Appa's back. Luckily, Iroh was close enough to the front of the saddle to grab Appa's reigns and guide him down to a nearby platform.

Aang soared happily through the air looping around the other gliders, doing tricks with the glider that could only be performed by an air bender, even showing the others the glider surfing he had seen Monk Gyatso doing in one of his visions with Avatar Roku. Soon, Aang saw a specialized glider with a wheeled chair under it which could only belong to Teo. He glided up next to the Inventor's son and without a word between them, both started into their traditional race around the Northern Air Temple. The tore around towers, sped along the roofs of the temple, and dove down over the sides to cleanly pull up on gusts of rising natural gas and shot back into the sky. As they approached the landing platform, Teo was in a slight lead. Surely an airbender couldn't be out flown by an Earth Kingdom glider. He spun in the air and bended out what he thought should be enough to gain the lead, but not really to cheat. After all, he was just using the skills available to him.

Just as Aang took the lead, less than 500 feet from the platform, Teo called ahead to him, "Not so fast Aang, you're not the only one who can use an air speed boost." He pulled a cord by his head and a small tube on his chair ejected compressed air, propelling the chair ahead of the airbending master and onto the platform for his first win. The other Earth Kingdom inhabitants of the Temple crowded around Teo and cheered him on finally out flying the airbender.

"Great race Aang, you almost got me with your airbending boost."

Aang wanted to say that Teo had cheated, but Teo had just leveled the playing field after Aang had cheated first. "Did your dad invent that air blast thing for you?'

"Actually, my dad's newest apprentice came up with it. He has been studying "fake bending" and making machines that do the job of benders."

A loud explosion erupted in a nearby tower and odd green smoke started pluming. Aang bent water from a nearby pool up into the tower. A crack sounded as two objects were blown into the air.

As one neared the ground, the group heard it start screaming. Aang was too busy with the fire, but Iroh stepped in and pulled air currents in to make a cushion of up drafting air which dramatically slowed the human projectile down. Unfortunately, the cushion wasn't perfect and the body hit the ground with a flat thud and a lazy groan escaped the person. When the dust cleared, the young man lifted his head only to shout, "IT WORKED! I can't belief it finally worked!"

That voice and the wolf tail haircut that accompanied it were unmistakable. Aang turned and saw Sokka pulling himself off the ground as another flying body fell on top of Sokka causing heavy groans from both of them.

"Sokka, it worked!" The Mechanist's eyebrows were singed off again, as apparently were Sokka's.

As they pulled themselves from the rubble, Teo wheeled over to his father. "If it worked, why is the smoke green?"

"A minor after effect," Sokka shrugged it off, "But at least now I think we've got the right amount of oil in the shoots now, we've just gotta work on the exploding thing."

Iroh laughed at his memory of thinking the water tribe chief's son would blow himself up. "Is this more of the 'fake bending' this young man was talking about?"

"Yes," The Mechanist revealed, "we're trying to make refined oil that will help air ships run without the need for firebending to keep the air hot. This will make it so anyone can fly in the balloons."

"And we have it to a point where the oil will take only a spark to light, but it kind of all ignites at once. We want to make a system that ignites it in small bursts." Sokka continued to talk to Aang and his newest master while Iroh walked over to Teo.

"You must be Teo. Aang speaks highly of your skills in the air and passion for flying."

"Oh, yeah. Aang says it's not really flying, but I figure we're both just manipulating the air currents; he just is able to control them while I have to control the glider more. So what if I'm not actually flying, it's like I'm living in the sky sometimes."

"When the Avatar fought my brother, he was able to remove the Phoenix King's firebending. Perhaps he could use the energy bending to make you an air bender," Teo silently contemplated for a few moments, "No, I kind of like making an element my own without having special powers. Like how my father and Sokka are using technology to do the same jobs. I think I'm happier just gliding than  
actually flying."

"I am actually surprised. In all four of the nations, the benders are revered. Many dream for the chance to bend their home element. To meet someone who willingly turns down the opportunity is truly amazing."

"I mean I'm sure it would be fun, but really, I don't think I need bending. I have my father's inventions to do everything I need; bending would just be for showing off."

"Iroh is the AVATAR?" screamed Sokka. Clearly Aang had either poorly explained the situation or Sokka, more likely, misunderstood. "Are they just GIVING away Avatar powers? I want to be at least an airbender. No, a FIREbender. No no no no no, DEFINITELY an earth bender, like The Boulder!"

"I see what you mean about people wanting to be benders," Teo chuckled.

Aang took Sokka aside to explain the situation. Teo rolled his chair glider back to the take-off vents and motioned for Iroh to join him. "I am not sure that I am ready to take to the skies yet. I have only just started bending." The old man started to back away humbly.

"I'm not a bender at all, remember, and I just out flew the Avatar. If you're going to learn to bend air like Aang does, eventually you have to learn how to bend without moving."

Iroh remembered being a young Fire Nation prince having his father, Fire Lord Azulon, teaching him how to control fire around him with only his breathing, how to control his "dragon's fire." It took him nearly a year to properly control anything larger than a chandelier. Even after he met the last two dragons, motionless bending took a lot of his concentration. He took such pride in his fire breathing and other breath techniques because of the work he had to put in learning them. How he could learn to bend a new element while in the air, he had no idea.

"Are you sure you even want to airbend, your highness. You just don't seem that interested in the element. Not just the flying, it's like you have a problem controlling the air."

"I do not quite understand it either. Avatar Roku took so naturally to air bending. The first element is supposed to be the easiest because it is so similar to your first. Air and fire are about controlling the incorporeal. Air and Water share working with the element to do what you want. Water and Earth require a strong base and enforcing the will on the element. Earth and fire must direct their attacks and must be in control of their direction or destruction will ensue. The first element always makes sense relative to your own. So I do not know why I cannot understand this concept."

"Maybe you just need a better teacher than the Avatar. Everything usually does come more naturally to the Avatar than to normal benders because of the Avatar Cycle. Maybe you need to find someone who can teach you without having the skills."

Iroh remembered how his niece, princess Azula, had spent years mastering fire bending from Li and Lo at the Fire Nation Academy for girls, neither of whom were fire benders. Perhaps his answer was to find a teacher who did not know how to bend, but still knew the techniques.

Aang came running over with a crazed look on his face. "TEO! TEO! Sokka had an AMAZING idea. I can try to use energy bending to make you a REAL airbender."

The young man was mildly embarrassed. Rejecting the idea to someone who had been a mentor to so many people was nowhere near as difficult as trying to think of how to reject the last airbender on the chance to have another airbender in the world. Several awkward seconds went by. The Avatar tried rewording his offer, but Teo remained silent.

"Perhaps my son is just overwhelmed by this opportunity. To learn that you can bend more than one element is a large shock, I'm sure you both know. But to gain the ability to bend altogether, that is something entirely different." Everyone seemed to understand the man's wisdom, but Teo still could not express his feelings.

Iroh broke the nervous silence, "Perhaps instead, Teo might wish to bend the air with his own skills and his father's inventions than with some skill. To manipulate an element without the given ability is truly something to take pride in, not to take away." Teo was glad that he didn't have to explain himself to the Avatar, and even harder; his generous friend.

"That's ok Teo, if you don't want to bend, it was just an idea. Probably wouldn't have worked anyway." Aang blushed and felt a little humiliated that he had been turned down.

It as getting dark, so the Mechanist ushered the group inside for dinner. Around the table, Aang spent the time telling Teo of his adventures, and Iroh spoke with Sokka and the Mechanist about their new plans for ships that ran on steam, not coal. Sokka ran out of the room every minute to bring back more blueprints and models, often dropping them in his excitement. Iroh sent messenger hawks with some of the blue print copies to Fire Lord Zuko, The Earth King, and Arnook and Hakoda of the Water Tribes.  
Surely they would all wish to invest in some of these inventions.

Soon all retreated to bed. General Iroh sat quietly in his room in front of the fire reviewing some of the blueprints he had been especially been interested in, mostly those that involved tea. He came across the blue prints for Teo's specialized wheel chair and he immediately looked to the air compression system Teo had used for his fake airbending. It reminded him a lot of how firebenders could push fire from their feet to give them speed boosts on the ground, even help them fly if they were powerful enough. Iroh contemplated a few possibilities for practicing with his glider and soon fell fast asleep in front of the fire.


	5. Chapter 5 Now You're Bending With Fire

Chapter 5: Now You're Bending With Fire

As always, the firebender rose with the sun and went outside to practice his firebending forms, and a few airbending techniques. He practiced the swirling motions of the airbenders to produce new and powerful forms of firebending. Since he could see the fire, it did not seem as complicated as bending the invisible air. After about an hour, Teo wheeled out and was amazed to see firebending used in a display of skill and beauty instead of destruction. Iroh's air powered firebending was one of the most beautiful things he'd ever seen. He readied his glider for his morning flight and was surprised to see Iroh next to him with an extra large glider.

"Master Iroh, aren't you afraid of falling again?"

"I remembered a technique, last night, which allows firebenders to fly for short periods of time. If I use it in combination with the glider and natural air currents here, I may be able to at least get the hang of gliding before I learn to airbend with it."

Teo pulled the ripcord to the machine behind him which produced a rush of wind and sent his chair rocketing forward and into the sky. Iroh took a run at the edge of the platform and just as he left the ground, he kicked hard backwards and flames shot from his feet, launching him forwards and upwards. Every time he felt that he was losing control of a current, he would shoot another fire boost and get back in flight. To glide around like this was one of the most wonderful feelings. It was much different than using one of the Fire Air Force war balloons or the iron zeppelins. He felt that he was truly flying, not just being aboard a ship that happened to be in the air. Before he knew it, he was gliding with Teo without any need for his firebending. They soon landed and Iroh leaped and danced with joy like he hadn't done since the birth of Lu Ten. By this time, Aang had awoken and seen the pair flying outside and he rushed down to congratulate his elderly friend.

"Iroh, that was perfect, you finally have the hang of gliding." Aang hugged the large firebender and they leaped joyfully together. "Now you can try actually airbending."

Iroh, Aang, and Teo lined up at the takeoff run. Teo pulled his machine cord, Aang threw his glider in the air, bending jumped after it, and Iroh took his running start. Soon they were gliding on the natural currents.

"Alright, now break away from the natural currents, and make your own. It's just a matter of letting your inner energy tell the air where you want it to go." Aang showed Iroh how to fly perpendicular to the natural currents, and even against them. But as soon as Iroh tried to change course, the glider was nearly ripped from his fingers and he had to save himself with his firebending.

They soon landed as Iroh became tired quickly; the fire jets took a lot of energy. Iroh and Aang discussed what they thought the problem was, but couldn't come up with a viable answer as to why motionless bending was so difficult for him. They abandoned the thinking and returned to the Temple for lunch. Aang received a messenger hawk from Katara saying that she needed him to come to the Northern Water Tribe so that he could fulfill his "Avatar duties," which Aang explained meant that Katara missed her boyfriend. Aang offered to give Iroh a ride to the North Pole so that Katara could teach him waterbending.

"I do not know if she will be the right teacher for me. She is a great bender, but it feels as though she uses her element, and does not live with it. I have learned that the water is such an essential part of life, that we should not control it, but only let it guide the way in helping us. I wish to find a teacher who can truly show me what it means to live alongside water, not to use it as a tool."

Aang's eyes brightened up. "I know the PERFECT benders for you. And they actually live in the Earth Kingdom. You can master airbending later; it's really easy once you get the hang of it." Aang took Iroh through the temple to one of the prayer chambers which housed a giant map of the world. Aang scanned the Earth Kingdom for the great Foggy Swamp. "The benders here spend their whole lives on the water of the swamp. They use their water bending simply to make their lives easier. They don't control it; they just use the resource available to them."

"They sound like the teachers I desire, but how to get there? Master Katara has summoned you to her sister tribe in the north, and my destination lies to the south east."

"That's where the Sokkanist comes in," Sokka said smoothly while leaning on the doorway to the chamber.

"The Sokkanist?" Aang laughed at the poor contraction. He had missed Sokka's love for, but lack of skill in, making clever pun names.

"Yeah. I actually designed an airship specifically for General Iroh. It's like the normal Fire Nation war balloon, but I changed the power source just for him. Follow me." Sokka dashed off down a corridor, and if it weren't for the gradual bends in the corridors instead of sharp corners of other buildings, they would have lost sight of him. They stopped at a large door with Sokka looking quite proud of himself. "I thought of this as soon as I started my steam power experiments. Normally we just use heated water, but there was no way I could pass up the chance to thank you, Master Iroh, for everything you have done for all of Team Avatar, especially for helping turn around old Hot Head." Sokka pushed open the doors and a grand balloon sat tethered to the ground. It had a large white balloon instead of the red and black of the Fire Nation, and at the top of the smoke stack sat a perfectly sculpted metal lotus flower.

Aang looked blankly at the ship. "So your great idea was to change the color and add a flower?"

Iroh, however, had his eyes closed, his hands folded in front of him, and a smile broad across his face as he smelled the air. "What a wonderful gift. Is that tantalizing aroma what I think it is?"

"Yep," smirked Sokka, "White Dragon Tea. When I thought of making a balloon for you that ran on boiling tea, I remembered Zuko mentioning a story about you and the White Jade bush and the White Dragon bush. We couldn't remember which one was the poisonous one so we got both. Good thing the growers sent us a few pakui berries with a card that said 'Just in case.' So now you can stock your balloon with any tea you want and just make it while you fly. I already stocked most of your favorites based on which tiles you play the most in Pai Sho."

"Very perceptive of you Sokka. We may make a Grandmaster of you with that kind of thinking."

"REALLY?" Sokka's eyes glittered at the thought of being a Grandmaster of the White Lotus Society.

"Uhh, maybe, but not for a long, long, LONG time." Iroh laughed as Sokka's bubble had clearly burst, but hugged the young swordsman and thanked him graciously for one of the greatest gifts that he had ever even dreamed of.

Aang helped Iroh plot his course, touching back in Ba Sing Se, to take care of his tea shop and make arrangements for his servants while he was on his journey, Omashu to restock, and then on to the Great Swamp. All spent the night helping Aang and Iroh prepare for their journeys and that evening, a feast was had in their honors and to celebrate Sokka's official partnership with The Mechanist. After a night of revelry, everyone returned to their rooms for a good night's sleep. Tomorrow would be an early morning and starting a long journey.

As he was often known for, Aang had left the Northern Air Temple in the middle of the night with Appa in order to start his journey to the North Pole. Iroh, however, had opted to sleep through the night, practice his gliding a bit more with Teo, have a good Farewell breakfast, and prepare for his journey. Sokka offered self drawn maps of the Earth Kingdom so that Iroh could easily reach the swamp. Luckily, the Mechanist also gave Iroh a few more accurate maps. Sokka helped make sure that Iroh knew how to operate his new tea powered balloon and gave his Grand Lotus the secret bow of the White Lotus, followed by a big hug.

"Say hi to Sparky for me when you see him. And when you get to the swamp, make sure you find the swamp benders fast, ever know what you'll come across in there" Sokka shuddered at the memories of all of the bugs and catfish gators.

"I think that I will be able to handle it. Thank you and your master for your hospitality. And of course I will be sure to send you all some of my shop's newest tea and pastries."

With that, Iroh lit the fire beneath his giant tea boiler and slowly rose into the air. As he gained speed and height, Teo glided alongside the balloon.

"I hope you find someone who can help you master airbending. And work on your gliding. I want to see you when you don't need the hot drafts to really fly."

Teo sped off ahead. Iroh smiled and grabbed his own glider. He leapt out of the balloon, blasted fire behind him, and took off after the wheel glider. The two glided around for about a minute before Iroh hit the edge of the artificial currents and had to fire jet himself back to his balloon. He reached the basket as Teo and the other gliders started dropping spark bomb fireworks to give him a grand farewell. Iroh opened the spout of his engine and poured himself a cup of the White Dragon tea before stepping into a complex firebending form and launching out a bolt of lightning over the Temple to add to the display of the fireworks. Iroh then sat down for the long journey to Ba Sing Se.


End file.
